Who Is Trump’s Treasury Secretary? From Goldman Sachs to Clint Eastwood

Published in Il Sole 24 Ore
(Italy) on 30 November 2016
by Angela Manganaro (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Francesca Bragoli. Edited by Helaine Schweitzer.
Those who hate Donald Trump claim that the president-elect of the United States is a failed actor, not even a B-list actor either like he accused Ronald Reagan of being, but one with frustrated ambition that would later find its release on "The Apprentice," the reality show for aspiring business managers. It’s not surprising then that a newspaper critical of Trump like The New York Times had as this morning’s headline: “Trump Taps Hollywood's Mnuchin for Treasury [...]," like Hollywood was a B-list business? Key private, public, and show business explanations are produced by the same president-elect, who in his tweets speaks of "finalists" for roles in government.

This time, the appointee is Steven Mnuchin, a 53-year-old former Goldman Sachs banker and therefore a product of Wall Street. This morning, the man himself confirmed and promised a Reagan plan, anticipating a growth of 3 percent to 4 percent in the next two years. Since May, Mnuchin has been the man who raised money for the Trump campaign. He previously worked for a hedge fund tied to George Soros, Trump's No. 1 enemy and a generous backer of Hillary Clinton, whose husband, Bill appointed Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, the economist, Harvard president, child prodigy, great theorist and a man with an unsurpassed pedigree and resume. It helps to remember him to understand the changing world.

Trump takes us to another planet, or just to the West Coast. Mnuchin came to Hollywood 10 years ago, landing in Los Angeles with a troop of Wall Street managers. As president of Dune Entertainment Partners, Mnuchin produced “Avatar,” and more recently “The Accountant” starring Ben Affleck, as well as “Sully,” directed by Clint Eastwood (released in Italian cinemas tomorrow [Dec. 1, 2016]). News of the Mnuchin choice was reported by The New York Times, but a more updated resume of the freshly appointed treasury secretary was provided by Hollywood Reporter.

So it turns out that Mnuchin has forged ties and completed mergers with the production houses of “American Sniper,” another Eastwood movie, and “Mad Max: Fury Road,” a masterpiece that tells of a world ravaged by those climate changes President-elect Trump has vehemently denied.

With Mnuchin, a Hollywood and Wall Street man, and also the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which promotes Trump's infrastructure plan (yesterday's news), you will have to do math. Because the new treasury secretary is not only good at collecting money, but has played a key role in the development of Trump's economic proposals, especially deregulation and tax cuts.

In Trump's world, Hollywood experience remains an asset, but even more important is loyalty to the leader, a sport in which Mnuchin has shown how to be a champion. The former banker and boyfriend of an aspiring actress-come-writer was one of the most loyal people to the candidate in the most difficult moments of the campaign.

That said, Mnuchin is anything but an outsider and commentary from the corners of the Democrat Party – the Democratic National Committee – regarding his appointment focuses on the following: "And this would drain the swamp? (i.e. cleaning the ranks of the Administration and the Congress). Appointing Steve Mnuchin as treasury secretary — a billionaire hedge fund manager, former Goldman Sachs employee who strangled homeowners in difficulty during the recession — it's a slap in the face to voters who chose Trump because they hoped that he would have turned Washington upside down. Trump is ready to become the most corrupt, contradictory, unpopular president elect of history, now he has also violated the contract that he signed with his constituents."


Chi è il ministro dell’Economia di Trump: da Goldman Sachs a Clint Eastwood

Chi non sopporta Donald Trump sostiene che il presidente eletto degli Stati Uniti sia un attore fallito, neanche di serie B come s’accusava essere Ronald Reagan. Ambizione frustrata che avrebbe poi trovato sfogo in The Apprentice, il reality show per aspiranti manager. Non sorprende più di tanto quindi che un giornale critico come il New York Times stamane titoli: «Trump ha scelto un finanziere di Hollywood come ministro del Tesoro». Come se Hollywood fosse un business di serie B? Chiavi di lettura privato/pubblico/show business sono però fornite dallo stesso presidente che nei suoi tweet parla di «finalisti» per i ruoli di governo.

Stavolta il nominato è Steve Mnuchin, 53enne ex banchiere di Goldman Sachs quindi un prodotto di Wall Street. In mattinata il diretto interessato conferma, promette un piano alla Reagan, prevede una crescita del 3-4 per cento nei prossimi due anni. Da maggio Mnuchin è stato l’uomo che ha raccolto i soldi per la campagna Trump, in passato ha lavorato per un hedge fund legato a George Soros, nemico numero uno di The Donald e generoso finanziatore di Hillary Clinton. Il cui marito Bill nominò segretario del Tesoro Lawrence Summers, economista, preside di Harvard, enfant prodige, gran teorico, curriculum e pedigree inarrivabili. Giova ricordarlo per capire il cambio di mondo.

Trump ci porta su un altro pianeta o solo sulla West Coast. Mnuchin è arrivato a Hollywood dieci anni fa con la truppa di manager di Wall Street sbarcati a Los Angeles. Come presidente di Dune Entertainment Partners Mnuchin ha prodotto Avatar, più recentemente The Accountant con Ben Affleck e Sully di Clint Eastwood (da domani nei cinema italiani). La notizia della scelta è stata anticipata dal New York Times, ma il curriculum più aggiornato del neoministro dell’Economia americana è fornito da Hollywood Reporter.

Così si scopre che Mnuchin ha stretto legami e completato fusioni con le case di produzione di American Sniper, altro film di Eastwood e di Mad Max: Fury Road, capolavoro che racconta un mondo devastato da quei cambiamenti climatici che il candidato Trump ha veementemente negato.

Di Mnuchin uomo di Hollywood e Wall Street e dell’Ocse che promuove il piano di infrastrutture di Trump (notizia di ieri) si dovrà fare sintesi. Perché il neoministro dell’Economia non è stato solo bravo a raccogliere soldi ma ha giocato un ruolo chiave nello sviluppo delle proposte economiche di Trump, in particolare deregulation e taglio delle tasse.

Nel mondo Trump l’esperienza a Hollywood resta un atout ma ancora più importante è la fedeltà al capo, sport in cui Mnuchin si è mostrato campione. L’ex banchiere fidanzato con un’ attrice aspirante scrittrice è stato uno delle persone più leali col candidato nei momenti più difficili della campagna.

Detto ciò, Mnuchin è tutto fuorché un outsider e il commento dei vertici del partito democratico - il Democratic National Committee - alla sua nomina punta su questo: «E questo sarebbe bonificare la palude? (draining the swamp, fare pulizia nei ranghi della amministrazione e del Congresso ndr). Nominare Steve Mnuchin a segretario del Tesoro — un miliardario, manager hedge fund, ex Goldman Sachs che ha strangolato i proprietari di case in difficoltà durante la recessione — è uno schiaffo agli elettori che hanno scelto Trump perché speravano che avrebbe rivoltato Washington come un calzino. Trump è già pronto per diventare il più corrotto, contraddittorio, impopolare presidente eletto della storia, ora ha anche violato il contratto che ha stipulato con i suoi elettori».
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